How it works
Electrolyte drinks are simple once you separate the levers
Most products combine the same small set of choices: how much sodium, which supporting minerals, whether to include sugar, and how much dry material ends up in the bottle. Lyte Lab makes those choices visible.
Fluid volume
Lyte Lab recipes are normalized to 500 ml so product labels, DIY recipes, and cost comparisons use the same serving frame.
Sodium
Sodium is the dominant electrolyte lost in sweat and the mineral that most strongly changes how an electrolyte drink feels and functions.
Supporting minerals
Potassium, magnesium, calcium, and zinc are matched when listed on the product label, using bulk ingredients with known elemental content.
Osmolality
The engine estimates solute load from ingredient chemistry. This helps flag heavy mixes, but it is not a lab measurement.
The important distinction: electrolyte mix vs ORS
A basic electrolyte mix can be sugar-free because its job is to provide minerals. A true oral rehydration solution is different: it uses glucose and sodium together to support water absorption through sodium-glucose cotransport.
For those drinks, Lyte Lab matches the listed electrolytes and preserves the listed carbohydrate total where the label makes the source family identifiable. For mixed-source labels, the builder models an effective glucose/fructose split without claiming the brand's undisclosed percentages are exact.
What the builder is best at
- Matching listed electrolyte minerals from commercial labels.
- Showing the bulk-ingredient cost of that mineral profile.
- Letting you adjust sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and zinc directly.
- Flagging safety and palatability issues before you mix a serving.
Common product patterns
Zero-sugar high-sodium mixes
LMNT, Re-Lyte
These are mainly sodium-forward electrolyte replacements. DIY replication works well because the important label targets are minerals, not glucose.
ORS-style hydration powders
Liquid I.V., DripDrop, Pedialyte, WHO ORS
These use glucose plus sodium to support sodium-glucose cotransport. Lyte Lab matches their minerals, preserves label carbs, and models effective glucose/fructose where supported.
Low-dose active hydration
Nuun, Gatorade
These tend to use lower sodium per serving and focus more on taste, format, and routine use than aggressive electrolyte replacement.
Mineral drops
Hi-Lyte
Liquid concentrates may emphasize potassium and magnesium with little or no sodium. They are useful to compare, but not always direct substitutes for sodium-forward mixes.
Next step
Start with a known product profile, then adjust the minerals directly once you understand which levers matter for your use case.